U.S. History Timeline Quiz
In what year did Christopher Columbus first set foot in the Americas?
- Columbus first set foot in the Americas on October 12, 1492, when he landed on an island in the present-day Bahamas.
Which battle is considered the turning point of the American Revolution?
- The Battle of Yorktown, fought from September 28 to October 19, 1781, was the last major battle of the American Revolution and resulted in the surrender of British forces under General Charles Cornwallis.
What was the primary cause of the American Civil War?
- The primary cause of the American Civil War was the dispute over the institution of slavery and its expansion into new territories.
What event led to the United States' entry into World War II?
- On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, leading to the U.S. declaring war on Japan and entering World War II.
Who was the first African American to serve as President of the United States?
- Barack Obama served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017 and was the first African American to hold the office.
What was the significance of the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Supreme Court decision?
- The Brown v. Board of Education decision, handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954, declared that separate educational facilities for black and white students were inherently unequal and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Which President signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law?
- The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 2, 1964.
Who was the leader of the American Civil Rights Movement?
- Martin Luther King Jr. King was a Baptist minister and social activist who played a key role in the American Civil Rights Movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968.
What was the purpose of the Apollo 11 mission in 1969?
- The Apollo 11 mission, launched on July 16, 1969, was the first time humans had landed on the Moon and returned to Earth.
What was the significance of the Watergate scandal?
- The Watergate scandal, which involved a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in 1972 and subsequent cover-up by the Nixon administration, ultimately led to Nixon's resignation from the presidency in 1974.
